Hastings

Hastings' population grew in the decade to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in marriage, religion and housing tenure.

The population passed 90,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Hastings increased by 6.1%, from just over 85,000 to 90,300.

The addition of about 5,200 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Hastings was home to, on average, 22 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Hastings

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Hastings increased by two years, from 39 to 41 years.

This urban area had a slightly higher average age than the South East and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 2,800 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 1,000.

About 12% of people in Hastings are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Hastings by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

Hastings saw the South East's largest fall in the proportion of married people.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (40%) people aged 16 and over in Hastings said they were married, compared with 46% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single increased from 30% to 37%.

Across the region, Medway saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of married people (from 52% in 2001 to 46% in 2011).

The proportion of married people was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

Hastings saw the South East's joint second-largest fall in the proportion of households with children, alongside Fareham.

In 2011, just over one in four (26%) households in Hastings had at least one dependent child, compared with 29% in 2001. The percentage with no children increased from 65% to 66%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Hastings

The number of people in Hastings that described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 18,000 in 2001 to just over 33,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 21% to 37% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Hastings that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 57,000 in 2001 to about 47,000 in 2011 (from 67% to 52%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 7,900 to just under 7,500 (from 9.3% to 8.3%).

About 1,200 people (0.8%) said they were Muslim, up from about 640 in 2001 (1.3%).

The population without a religion in Hastings increased by 15 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Hastings by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Hastings that rented privately increased from 19% to 29% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in seven (15%) households lived in social housing, compared with 16% in 2001. The percentage of Hastings households that owned their home decreased from 63% to 55%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10% in 2001 to 16% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Hastings increased by 9.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Hastings, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Hastings

The percentage of Hastings residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.8% to 6.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 25 (4.1%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.4% in 2001. The percentage of Hastings residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 6.8% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Hastings residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 11% to 7.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (77%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 63% in 2001. The percentage of Hastings residents that described their health as fair decreased from 26% to 16%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Hastings decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Hastings, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Hastings working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 12% to 8.8% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.1%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Hastings decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Hastings, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of households in Hastings, which comprised one person, increased from 36% to 38% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in nine (11%) households had an unmarried couple, compared with 9.4% in 2001. The percentage of households in Hastings which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 30% to 26%.

The proportion of one-person households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 29%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 30%.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Hastings residents that were unemployed increased from 4.2% to 5.5% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 48%, while the percentage of Hastings residents that were self-employed increased from 9.6% to 11%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Hastings increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Hastings, the South East and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Hastings residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.5% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.7%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 0.8% in 2001 to 1.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Hastings remained close to 1.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Hastings by care, March 2001 and March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links